Vortigernism
Vortigernism is the dominant religion of the Imperium, based largely on the legend of Vortigern the Old Sire. The religion is administered from four major Cathedrals, and organized and run by the Imperial Church, a titanic and complex ecclesiastical organization. Although Vortigernism is among the youngest of the world's religions, only being properly established after the Division of Powers in 1149, and despite being founded off a legend that is generally regarded as pure fiction, it has deep roots both in actual Imperial history, and in the history of Akreiyna's older cultures and belief systems, most notably Kriashka and Crymnism. Vortigernism, unlike many religions, is concerned not with the worship of a higher power or deity - although some sects of believers do recognize the existence of such beings - Vortigernism is concerned with worshipping and revering the strength of aptitude of mankind. The founding story of the religion, in which Vortigern drives out the non-human inhabitants of the world, is a perfect example of the overarching philosophy on which Vortigernism is based: the idea of physical triumphing over spiritual, and the sanctity of strength. Origins and influences Vortigernism evolved out of the older religions that existed in Akreiyna, influenced somewhat by the actual events that surrounded the foundation of the first Empire. Because it developed from the older belief systems, some of which were imported from Khamhara, or had influences from further afield, Vortigernism doesn't have the hallmarks of an exclusively Akreiynan religion. Crymnism Perhaps the greatest influence on Vortigernism was an old religion known as Crymnism, which still exists in the northern areas of the plains, especially Urtasht. Crymnism was a polytheism, with several gods dominated by one central figure: Crymn, the Iron God. Crymnism was originally a bronze age religion, so the huge emphasis placed on iron and its power is hardly a surprise. Iron was considered sacred largely because of its enormous strength - one of the ideas that passed from Crymnism into modern religion. Another piece of Crymnist religion that translated quickly into Imperial dogma is the central icon of the religion, the equal armed cross. In Crymnism, each arm represented one of the four virtues of the Iron God; strength, justice, determination and passion. These virtues each had their own priesthood, as they divided Crymn essentially into four aspects - the four deities who make up the Crymnist pantheon: Hariaat, of Strength; Behamieth, of Justice; Vulpiir, of Determination, and Ahsteir, of Passion. Alone, each arm of the cross represented one of the deities, but together, the whole cross represented Crymn, and that a person must have all the virtues in balance to be a perfect being. As the Imperium grew more powerful, and the old Urtashti kingdom collapsed, Vortigernism replaced Crymnism as the dominant religion on the plains, but the hallmarks of Crymnism can still be seen in Imperial religion. The symbol of Crymnism itself, with minor alterations, can be seen in the Crux Invictus - the icon which was allegedly emblazoned on the shield of Vortigern himself. Also, the Crymnist worship of iron carried over into Imperial culture: the Emperor's crown is known as the Iron Halo, the ruling council of the Imperium is called the Eisernerat, or Iron Council, the great outcrop in Vortigrad, where the great civic buildings at the heart of the Imperium lie - the guild houses, the Ivory Palace, the Cathedral of Roses, and the seat of the Eisernerat, is called the Citadel of Iron. Kriashka Coming with waves of displaced immigrants from Khamhara, Kriashka first arrived in by way of the city-states that said migrants set up in Akyrra. The central deity of Kriashka was a Sky God who took the form of a firebird known variously as Kaalesh, Kriash, or Kirish-Elu. Although the actual influences of Kriashka on Vortigernism as a whole is negligible, it survives as something close to a cult in Akyrra and the Khamharan provinces of the Imperium. The adherents of this cult, known as Kaleshim, are viewed as extremists, zealots, and fanatics by many other Vortigernist groups, comparable to the vastly more secretive Broken Saints. The main tenet of the Kaleshim is the strongly held belief that the dead can - and will - be reborn out of fire. For this reason, the bodies of the dead in Kaleshim culture are burned, as well as the old, or terminally ill. This also gave rise to a belief that fire brings strength, and in turn this led to the inception of the Keshkan rituals, a sort of "Ordeal by fire" in which a supplicant can go through several tests of his endurance to burning in order to strengthen himself. Eisrhem Dhact Eisrhem Dhact is the central scripture of Vortigernism. It is broken into twelve Testaments, one by each of the commanders in Vortigern's Kruciate. The testaments detail Vortigern's journey from his first rebellion against the Akureykri to the battle at Agrynok where he cast down Azariel. The testaments run: Maugris, Berenger, Oton, Anseis, Aglaval, Naimon, Renaud, Yohn, Alain, Gerin, Gerard, Huor. As well as these, there are various additions to the scriptures by Valten Magnor, focusing mainly on the visions he believed he had detailing Saedeculi Mori; and several others to do with the time before Vortigern by various Hieri, Monks, and Cardinals. In all, the Iron Book has around fourteen sections, and runs for nearly 150,000 words. Mythology (see also, Djana Faiirun) The mythos of Vortigernism is deep and developed, much of it borrowed and developed upon from true historical events and the rich background of mythology that already populated Akreiyna - both religious and otherwise. The semi-legendary figure of Vortigern himself had a basis in history, as did many of the major events of Vortigernist beliefs, but despite having influences from more ancient stories and cultures, and the long history of the land, Vortigernist mythology is still very much its own. Creation The Church of Vortigern teaches that the world began as nothing more than a roiling spherical mass of water and molten iron. Two divine creatures, known variously as the Creators, the Brothers, or the Ophanim took up their hammers and forged the iron into the shape of the world, sculpting the mountains and valleys and the open plains. Then, they took the water that had ringed the world in a raging torrent, and they poured it into the great basins of the seas. According to legend, they then broke their souls in two, and took the shattered pieces, forging them into a diamond that contained their vitality - their lifeforce. They placed it on the heartrock at the centre of the world, and shattered it, releasing the life that they had locked inside it, and breathing life into the world itself. The splinters of their shattered souls became humanoid creatures, each one a physical manifestation of the Ophanim's soul. These creatures, called Akureykri in Vortigernism, became dominant on the earth. However, despite their supposed superiority, the Akureykri were weak; they had very little physical strength, being composed largely of spirit, and so the final act of the Ophanim on earth was to forge the last scraps of the iron into a new, strong, race - Men. Reign of the Akureykri The Akureykri, fragments of the souls of the Ophanim, were dominant in the world for ten thousand years. They imprisoned the humans - the people of Iron - under the earth, and enslaved them, mining precious stones and metals to fuel their comfortable lives. Humans had no respect, no dignity, and no rights under the rule of the Akureykri, they were treated as mere instruments - they existed only to serve. The Akureykri were led by Azariel, who called himself Patriarch of the Clouds. Their jewelled cities spread across the world, from the farthest reaches of the Utter North to the Deep South. Although they were powerful - dominating the entire world - the Akureykri had their enemies; those who rebelled against Azariel's rule, and who went to the island of Talamar in the Utter North. The loyal Akureykri called these rebels "Irakadim", or "Beyond Redemption", and the fortress that the rebels built on that distant isle became known as the Obsidian Spire - a symbol of mistrust and evil for the Akureykri. The Irakadim were led by Selaphael, who the Akureykri called the great enemy, or the Herald of Madness. Since then, mythology has become confused about the Obsidian Spire, or Helgrind. Agrynok (main article: Agrynok) The blasted, frigid plain of Agrynok was the final battlefield of the great war between the Akureykri and the Irakadim. Azariel and his warriors defeated Selaphael, and drove them back across the sea to their impregnable obsidian fortress, imprisoning the Irakadim in their citadel. The battle-plain became the centre of a huge system of Akureykri fortifications and garrisons, imprisoning their enemies on their island-citadel, and ensuring that they should never receive reinforcements. The Rise of Vortigern During the civil war among the Akureykri, the human slaves in the Underrealm were forced to work ever harder, and often used as little more than bargaining chips in the various peace negotiations and often broken treaties that the two sides formed and dishonored with one another. As well as mining iron, the humans were forced to forge arms and armor for the Akureykri, and were sometimes even forced into battle for their frail, Angelic masters. The Akureykri punished the humans with torture and execution if they failed to please. The humans submitted without thinking of resistance, because they worshipped the Akureykri, but some seeds of dissent appeared and grew among the humans, until they came to fruition with a man called Vortigern. When the Akureykri punished Vortigern's family for failing to work as hard as they were required - beating the women, children and elders with vicious, barbed whips - Vortigern refused to simply submit to the brutality of the Akureykri. He took up the weapons and armor that he spent his life laboring to create, and struck down his old master. Seeing the ease with which Vortigern killed the Akureykri, despite their allegedly divine powers, heartened the humans, beaten down though they were. Vortigern's kindred took up arms themselves, and their rebellion grew in strength as ever more of the slaves became aware of the strength which they held over their cruel masters. The War Against Heaven Vortigern led his growing army all across the Underrealm, gaining reinforcements at every turn. After several years of travelling, Vortigern's army numbered in the tens of thousands, and he led them to the Gaping Maw; a cave in Attaradan that was the only known way to pass between the Underrealm and the world above. From Attaradan, Vortigern led his men northward, first across the snow and ice of the frozen archipelago, and then across the vast continents and oceans of the world, driving the Akureykri before them, until they had forced the armies of Azariel all the way to Agrynok, the roof of the world. On the brink of Agrynok, at the edge of the cliffs above the Sea of Mourning, Vortigern fought Azariel alone for twenty days and twenty nights, until at last the superior strength of his iron-forged body defeated the half-spirit, and cast Azariel down into the misty sea. Instead of joining his mortal enemies, and perhaps preparing some sort of counterattack against the victorious Men, Azariel and his followers fled from Vortigern and the growing strength of mankind, into the heavens. Now, the Akureykri still sit in the great dome of the heavens, looking down upon the world. Other peoples call them stars, but the students of Vortigern's history know their true nature. Vortigern's Legacy After his victory over the Akureykri, Vortigern sent his many sons all over the earth, to found their own cities and spread the word of Vortigern's might. He himself returned to the rugged lands of Akreiyna, where he built the great city of Vrymn. After ascending to become ruler of Vrymn, Vortigern was king over all the peoples of the earth, and his sons were his princes, but after Vortigern's death - even that great man couldn't live longer than one hundred years - the people began to forget their allegiance to Vortigern, and his sons quarreled, tearing the Old Sire's empire into a thousand parts. Vortigern's sons became the founders of the great, ancient ruling dynasties. His eldest son, Alain, settled on the coast of the northern continent, close to the field of Vortigern's great victory, and founded a city named Aerlanni; His second son, Aglaval, took his family to the eastern highlands of Akreiyna, and became the first king of Turmador; his third son, Bedivar founded a kingdom called Skyrn on the southern coast of Akreiyna; but his fourth and youngest son, Uther, stayed at his father's side to become the Lord-General of his armies. Saedeculi Mori According to Vortigernist legends, the End of Time will occure when the Ophanim return to earth with Azariel, and lead the final assault on Selaphael and the Obsidian Spire. Various members of the Irakadim are mentioned in the tome that details the events which will take places; the Libri Irakestorum, as well as characters below even the corrupt Irakadim: creatures possessed of Angelic souls, and thus still in a sense superior to men, but deeply evil. Saedeculi Mori also mentions other characters from beyond the knowledge of humans - 'Heavenly Creatures' above even the Akureykri, and other inhabitants of the 'Djana Faiirun', or Otherworld. Humans, surprisingly, are of minor importance in this 'End of Days'. The humans alive to witness it will be judged by the Ophanim, and those worthy of standing at their side will, while all the souls of the dead will receive the same judgement, and the same reward. Denominations of Vortigernism Orthodox Vortigernism Orthodox Vortigernism is generally administered from the four traditional centres (or pillars) of Vortigern's Church - the Cathedral of Roses in the Fjellmuirr, the Cathedral of Lilies in Vortigrad, the Cathedral of Daffodils in Bram, and the Cathedral of Eidelweiss in Berkad. It is also known as 'Imperial Vortigernism'. Northern Vortigernism The Vortigernism of the North differs from more traditional Akreiynan religion on one central point: while the Akreiynan Church venerates the strength of man, and the triumph of the physical over the spiritual, the Northern Church teaches that the Akureykri and Djana Faiirun are real, holy places, and the Otherworld has a huge significance in their religion. Aglavaism Especially prevalent in the east; Turmador and Tamarkhand, Aglavaism teaches that Vortigern is the 'Holiest of Holies', and can only be communicated to through the intercession of his son Aglaval. Therefore, while Vortigern remains the dominant figure of their religion, adorning the highest part of every ecclesiastical arch, people pray to Aglaval. Imperium Category:Religion Category:Mythology